In Brief
- Biggest racing and entertainment package ever seen in Hobart.
- All-Star Mile contenders go head-to-head in Thomas Lyons.
- Braithwaite and The Horses a great way to end Hobart Cup day.
THE upcoming weekend of thoroughbred racing in Tasmania promises to be the best in decades with Friday’s twilight meeting boasting two classics and the Hobart Cup the Tasmanian Racing Club’s showcase race for stayers on Sunday with a brilliant support card.
Schweppes Tasmanian Derby Day
On Friday the powerful Godolphin stable ventures to Tasmanian for the first time with three-year-old Cossetot to contest the $150,000 Tasmanian Derby over 2200 metres and reigning premier Tasmanian jockey Craig Newitt Derby has been booked to ride the gelding.
Bookmakers have installed Cossetot ($2.30) as favourite for the race with the other three interstate invaders kept safe in the market while the John Blacker-trained filly Glass Warrior that was won the Launceston Guineas (2100m) last week is second favourite at $3.70.
The Group 3 Bow Mistress for fillies and mares has again attracted a bumper field of 14 with plenty of interstate invaders vying for the chance to etch some black type into their pedigree which would improve their broodmare value.
The TRC has produced plenty of activities to make if a family orientated day with the first race scheduled to start at 2.17 and the last (race 9) at 6.52pm.
The Derby is set to start at 5.52 and the Bow Mistress at 6.22pm which should enable many to drop into the track on the way home from work to catch the best action.
The Cup Eve cocktail party at WrestPoint is expected to draw a big crowd with interviews with special guests sure to add spice to the event with tickets available at www.goracingtasmania.com.au.
TAB Hobart Cup Day
On Sunday the racing promises to be the best ever with the TAB Hobart Cup the TRC’s showcase event over 2400 metres.
Gates open at 11am and there are still tickets available into some of the special areas that offer food and beverage packages go to www.tasmanianracingclub.com.au.
The Hobart Cup has attracted three classy interstate invaders of which two, Al Galayel and Snoana, are European imports and the other, Lamborghini, hails from New Zealand.
The local brigade boasts the strongest Tasmanian contingent in years and includes 2017 Hobart Cup winner Count Da Vinci, gallant mare Geegees Goldengirl that will tackle the race four months into a pregnancy and rising star stayer Eastender that goes into the race on the back of wins in the Devonport Cup and Summer Cup.
But the best race on the card is the weight-for-age Magic Millions Thomas Lyons over 1400m that is being billed as the match race of the decade between reigning Tasmanian horse of the year Hellova Street and Mystic Journey, arguably the best three-year-old filly to race in Tasmania since Cafeteria.
Hellova Street and Mystic Journey are contenders for a berth in the $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) to be run at Flemington on March 16.
The All-Star Mile field will consist of 14 starters of which 10 will be taken based on popularity.
130 horses were nominated to contest the event and so far Mystic Journey and Hellova Street are lying 16th and 19th respectively but a campaign arranged by Tasracing to increase votes for both horses will be carried out on Hobart Cup Day after which they will both be inside the top 10.
Tasracing staff will be on course to encourage racegoers to vote for either horse via a portable electronic device that will register and store votes.
To end the day superstar Daryl Brathwaite will appear on the main stage for a concert following the last race.
Braithwaite has become a racing icon in recent years courtesy of his hit song The Horses that he has taken on tour and sung at a number of feature race meetings in recent years.
Those events have been well televised and while it has been great watching his rendition of the song written by Rickie Lee Jones on the screen, there is nothing better than seeing it sung live.
So with all this entertainment around some great racing, Tasmanians are in for a treat this weekend and with Monday being a public holiday in southern Tasmania a big crowd is expected to gather at Elwick for what also will be the last meeting held on track.
Just a few days after the running of the last race on Sunday the thoroughbred tracks will be ripped up and redeveloped.